Injuries mount as Presley heads to DL with injury

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Alex Presley grimaces after swinging at a pitch during the eighth inning on Monday night. (Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press)

The Astros are already down one bat in Jason Castro, who’s day-to-day with a mystery discomfort in his armpit. And now Alex Presley is on his way to join him.

The Astros fill-in center fielder strained his right oblique on an eighth inning swing after homering in the sixth inning. He’s done a fine job filling in for Dexter Fowler — who has an injury in a similar area, to his right intercostal — making the timing particularly disappointing. Presley was a part-time player for most of the year and now he’s headed to the DL, according to sources.

“If Presley can’t play we’re going to have to get somebody here,” manager Bo Porter said. “We’re already playing with one less position player as it is. I don’t think it’s something that we would allow ourselves to play short.”

Presley said he’s never had an oblique injury. He said he felt it lock up on him. Obliques are always tricky injuries for players, as Presley has already learned.

“It’s tough to predict, you feel like you’re going to be good and then you go and try to do something full speed … and it could flare up,” Presley said.

Presley has five home runs this season. With a 2-for-4 performance Monday, he’s hitting .298 in his last 43 starts (45-for-151).